If you remember, I came to Honduras last summer for my missions internship. This year I came back to the same place, El Sembrador, a high school for underprivileged boys. I am doing much the same work as I did last year, and that includes many hours and days translating letters from the students to their sponsors. Not everyone at El Sembrador has a sponsor, but basically all of them need one. This school is top-of-the-line in education, but with that comes a pretty high tuition. I have been so blessed to be able to read the letters from the students that I wanted to give you some of the highlights. Here are some actual (translated of course) quotes from some of the boys' letters to their sponsors:
Dear Sponsor,
"Thank you for sponsoring me. I know that it is a great sacrifice to support me."
"I also thank you for the support you have offered me, because if it weren't for you I wouldn't be in this place."
"I am working very hard to be a successful person with a profession to help my family."
"I hope I can see you this year or the next so we can sing songs together."
"I am hoping that you are well, and I am praying for you each night in a prayer group. We meet as a group of 25 people at 8:00 P.M. every night."
"Thank you, because the world needs people like you, and I won't let you down."
For those of you who have a sponsor child somewhere in the world-I know that sometimes it seems like you are sending money into thin air and that it doesn't have any impact. But I want to tell you that it does. I have had the privilege to witness lives changing first-hand because of the support that people like you are so faithfully sending. And it's not just about the money; the kids mostly just care about the relationship they are forming with you. So please, don't stop writing letters or sending pictures. Five minutes and a short note goes such a long way.
For those of you who don't have a sponsor child-if something like this interests you at all, I know sometimes it's hard to find an upstanding organization that really does what it says with the money you send. So here is my shameless plug-look into El Sembrador. I know everyone says this, but this school is home to some of the nicest, smartest, and most enthusiastic young men I have ever met. They are craving education, and they need help. If you feel God calling you to make a sacrifice in this way, please check out this website: sponsorship.escuelaelsembrador.org. We are changing Honduras, one student at a time.
